Teacher Tips: The Best Way To Check Test Prep Homework
Checking homework for the TOEFL or any other standardized test seems really easy. In fact, many students have the answers right in the back of their test prep book. In order to make sure that students are truly getting the most out of their homework and that the score they received was based on skill and not luck (which does happen from time to time on multiple choice tests), make sure you go beyond calling out a letter for each question.
When going over Reading or Listening homework, have students volunteer to put their notes up on the board. Outlining and note-taking are important skills for success on the TOEFL and in college programs, so these abilities should be monitored regularly. Are students using the topic sentences to find the main points or writing down the terms that the professor defines? Students who have mastered these skills are likely to get more questions right.
If you decide to go over the answers one by one, make sure you ask students why something is the right answer. If it is a detail quesiton, ask the student which sentence in the original text paraphrases the answer, for example.
If students are handing in a writing assignment that you will comment on, make sure you plan for time in class for students to look over the corrections and suggestions you've made. Some students might be too nervous or shy to ask you about things alone after class, but if you have a short conference with each student while the others work to implement your suggestions, students will actually read your comments and feel more comfortable asking for additional clarification or examples.
Speaking homework is a little more complicated to assign, but students can record their responses using their phones and email it to you or play the recordings in class. Students are often uncomfortable speaking into the micrphone on the computer, but having them get used to it by speaking into the microphone on a computer or smart phone will put them more at ease. If you are personally listening and recording feedback for the students, make sure they have actually listened to it by requiring that they write down your suggestion and
tell you how they will incorporate this into their next round of speaking practice. Now you know that they have listened to your advice, understood what you meant, and they have set a measurable goal for their next assignment. If you listen to the student recordings together as a class, make sure that the students receive a lot of positive feedback from their classmates first.
When you do more to go over the homework than simply project a bunch of letters on the board, students will feel like their homework was more than simply busy work. Focus on patterns and the language lessons and students will see real results.
-Danielle
